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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think some headlights nowadays are TOO bright?

201 replies

JammyGem · 04/12/2019 18:01

Does anyone else find that a lot of headlights on newer cars are too bright and just blind you? I used to just have a problem with those blue tinged ones that blinded me, but now it's more and more. Driving home tonight both DH and I were having trouble because the cat behind us had such bright lights. It also seems to be more cars have their lights angled right upwards too.

I get it's better for the drivers of those cars, but surely it must cause accidents when others are dazzled by them? Or AIBU and need to get my eyes looked at?

OP posts:
SimplySteveRedux · 04/12/2019 19:28

And if you are following me along a road without street lights can you not turn on your full beam please.

A lot of newer cars have an auto setting for full beam, I'd bet the majority have this enabled and cba to disable it because manual activation is hard work Hmm

SimplySteveRedux · 04/12/2019 19:30

A lot of anti-glare glasses don't meet UK driving criteria btw.

sandalsinthebin · 04/12/2019 19:42

Agree. Blinded on my way to work yesterday by a car that wouldn't fuck off from behind me and it triggered a migraine. Wonder if the drivers realise?

Clymene · 04/12/2019 19:45

I thought this was just me! I hate driving on single lane roads at night now as I used to love them because you could see who was coming in the other direction. Now I wait for them to round the bend and totally blind me.

catandadogandababy · 04/12/2019 19:47

I thought people were just driving round with their full beams on. I haven't driven for a few years and just started driving again and I never used to have this problem.

The other day the car behind me had its headlights beaming into my rear view mirror. I couldn't see a thing. So slowed right down and put my hazards on at which point they turned their full beams off and went to normal lights so they must know, but why do it? It was in a city as well, no fog so no reason to have fog lights on.

A few days later a cyclist was driving in the middle of the size road, but Cos of the car behind him and their bright lights I almost didn't see him. It's only cos I pulled to the side to let the car past that I realised there was a cyclist there too.

So dangerous

NewtonPulsifer · 04/12/2019 19:48

YANBU. I hate these lights, and equally hate people who sit with their foot on their brakes at junctions/traffic lights which I also find blinding, and on a long drive in the dark I end up with a headache

Lougle · 04/12/2019 19:49

I was in front of a car last week that had a massive bar light across the front grille. It was absolutely blinding, so YANBU.

Alsohuman · 04/12/2019 19:50

I’ve found my people! Driving on unlit roads is an absolute trial with oncoming lights blinding you.

pinkstripeycat · 04/12/2019 19:52

Yes OP you are right. I am a driving instructor and have had to cut back on evening lessons as neither the pupils or I can see a lot of the time as we are blinded by bright headlights especially from larger, higher up cars

BackOnceAgainWithABurnerEmail · 04/12/2019 19:53

Completely agree! I find it messes with my depth perception in the dark.

UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe · 04/12/2019 19:53

I haaaaate this! Like a lot of pps I drive home in the dark along country roads and get blinded by the fuckers most of the way home. I was being followed by some utter spanner in a 4x4 type who was really close, so his headlights were blinding me via the rear view mirror. I flipped the mirror so I could keep my retinas, and he kept flashing and putting his hazards on - it must have been reflecting his lights back at him. He clearly didn’t realise that if he’d dropped back to a safe distance he wouldn’t have to be blinded by his own headlights. Hmm I made sure I kept the mirror flipped all the way home. Grin
Is there any kind of petition or action to take (apart from swearing at people with them!)

Greenandcabbagelooking · 04/12/2019 19:58

Yes! I get migraines from them, so wear yellow tinted glasses. I also find it hard to see indicators because the light next to it is so bright.

Why do they need to be so bright?

Noodles4Me · 04/12/2019 20:01

Oh I couldn't agree more. Far too bright and it triggers headaches in me

TrickyKid · 04/12/2019 20:03

Yes! And don't even get me started on the bright strobing bike lights that I'm seeing more and more of.

cushioncovers · 04/12/2019 20:08

Yanbu op I hate driving at night. It triggers migraines. I use the yellow tinted glasses they do help.

namina · 04/12/2019 20:08

I was thinking the same thing the other day, it's not safe at all

Chouetted · 04/12/2019 20:09

I've seen car lights that were so bright they blinded me while I was walking along a footpath through an adjacent field - ie nowhere near the bloody road. I literally had no choice but to stand still until my eyes had adjusted back again as I couldn't see the difference between the footpath and field any longer. Super dangerous, and I dread to think what it must have been like for anyone driving in the other direction.

PixieDustt · 04/12/2019 20:11

YANBU it's awful.
Just as bad as someone leaving their headlights on when you're trying to park Angry

ThebishopofBanterbury · 04/12/2019 20:12

Yes I have found this too. I think it should be illegal to have lights so bright. Agree with previous posters that 4x4 high up cars are usually the culprits. Wish there was something that could be done to stop it.

ThursdayLastWeek · 04/12/2019 20:16

The drivers do realise, or at least I know I do.

But I don’t really know what I can do about it?
In this case I think it’s a matter for legislation rather than the individual - I’m not going to sell my otherwise just right car because of it!

Chouetted · 04/12/2019 20:19

@ThursdayLastWeek can't you have the headlights adjusted or replaced?

Libertylee · 04/12/2019 20:19

Thank god I'm not the only one- the sitting on brakes really irritates me too- you’re not going anywhere but you’re just giving me a headache. Driving home from work is actually scary when there’s a road full of headlights

Nobhobs · 04/12/2019 20:21

We got a new car a few months ago and I constantly get flashed by other drivers at night. I asked DH and it's happening to him whenever he drives it too. Our headlights are so bright people seem to think we've got our full beams on! Never had this happen before.

Spudlet · 04/12/2019 20:23

I hate it - I try to avoid driving at night but that’s not always possible. It’s all little lanes around here and in the daytime I’m very confident about driving on them, but at night it’s awful. It makes me so nervy, never knowing when I might end up driving blind!

megletthesecond · 04/12/2019 20:24

Yanbu. IIRC this problem has been in the press over the last year.